Tearful puppy is now happier than ever

A much-loved Great Dane with multiple eyelid problems, one of which was causing chronic tear overflow, has had her eyesight restored thanks to our ophthalmology surgeons.

Poor 11-month-old Eve’s vision was being affected due to the severity of her eye conditions until she underwent an intricate operation by Head of Ophthalmology Ida Gilbert.

The most severe eye issue for Eve, who was being cared for by National Great Dane Rescue before she was fostered and then adopted by her loving new owners, was a painful right eye.

Eve was born with large eyelid openings which had caused her lower right eyelid to turn inward (entropion), resulting in corneal irritation and inflammation.

In turn, this caused blood vessels to grow into her cornea and the surface to pigment (chronic keratitis).

Additionally, there was a prolapsed third eyelid gland in the right eye which was so large it was blocking some of her visual field.

Dogs have an extra eyelid at the inside corner of their eyes which sweeps across the surface to provide protection and distribute the tear film. The painful keratitis as well as the prolapsed gland resulted in chronic tear overflow.

Eve’s new owners Deborah Noakes and Justin Finning, from Devizes in Wiltshire, took her in as a foster from National Great Dane Rescue when she was awaiting surgery but quickly fell in love with Eve so adopted her.

Deborah said: “Eve was extremely uncomfortable and her eyesight was being affected, but her quality of life has massively improved since her operation at Eastcott.

“She is much happier in her skin and so much more confident now she has full vision.

“Eve was in the very best hands and we were not concerned at all as we trusted Ida 100 per cent.”

Ida said: “Eve came to us with a chronically prolapsed third eyelid gland in her right eye. It was so large that it blocked a large proportion of her visual field in front of her and the tear film was not being spread normally, reducing the protection of the eye.

“Other conditions were causing irritation, inflammation and chronic tear overflow.

“Eve had surgery to protect and reposition the prolapsed gland in the right eye. This is important as the gland produces 30 to 50 per cent of the tears for the eye.

“Additionally, all eyelids were shortened by 5mm, she had entropion surgery and the leading edge of the abnormal third eyelid cartilage was remodelled. It had become distorted due to the length of time the gland had been prolapsed, before she was rescued.

“It’s great to hear Eve is recovering well in her new forever home, where she gets to live with four other Great Danes.”